On 11/2/13 9:02 AM, Paul Raulerson wrote:
I was updating some COBOL programs and realized that I was still
using old COBOL time and date formats -meaning PIC 9(8) and PIC9(6).
Just for the heck of it, I decided to put some date and timestamp
files in a record and see how difficult they are to use. Turns out,
they are a little more difficult to use in COBOL than in RPG. (grin)
Does anyone have some samples or a reply basic tutorial on using
Dates and TimeStamps in COBOL? What is the best way to use them? In
particular, when some of these records are updated, there are date
fields in the record itself, and a LAST_CHG_TS field.
I have gotten spoiled with RPG, especially the duration SUBDUR
opcode. I am sure I have done this before in ILE COBOL, but honestly,
I have forgotten how.
Anyone willing to share examples of or a basic tutorial for ILE COBOL
using date and timestamp fields?
First issue I recall in my first attempt to use a COPY
DDS-ALL-FORMATS OF DATES_FILE was a need to prevent the loss of the
database file DATE fields [when compiling CBLLE source], to unnamed
FILLER fields IIRC, by compiling with the more desirable conversion options:
CVTOPT(*DATETIME *DATE *TIME *TIMESTAMP)
IIRC those are automatically the defaults for SQLCBLLE sources; i.e.
the pre-compiler CRTSQLCBLI [or CRTSQLCBLI] invokes the CRTBNDCBL [or
CRTCBLMOD] with those elements specified for the Conversion Options
(CVTOPT) parameter.
The following archived message might be helpful as a /basic tutorial/
showing use of current-date, formatting, date components, and Durations:
http://archive.midrange.com/cobol400-l/200001/msg00037.html
Subject: New date handling functions in ILE/COBOL
From: Finucci Domenico <finucci@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2000 15:13:15 +0100
And FWiW:
Additionally some general details about ILE CBL datetime:
IBM i 7.1 Information Center -> Programming -> Programming languages ->
COBOL -> ILE COBOL Programmer's Guide -> ILE COBOL Programming
Considerations -> Working with Data Items
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/rzase/sc092540274.htm#wwddt
_i Working with Date-Time Data Types i_
"Items of COBOL class date-time, include date, time, and timestamp
items. These items are declared with the FORMAT clause of a data
description entry. For example:
01 group-item.
05 date1 FORMAT DATE "%m/%d/@Y".
05 date2 FORMAT DATE.
05 time1 FORMAT TIME SIZE 8 LOCALE german-locale.
05 time2 FORMAT TIME "%H:%M:%S".
05 time3 FORMAT TIME.
05 timestamp1 FORMAT TIMESTAMP.
For items of class date-time the FORMAT clause is used in place of a
PICTURE clause. In the example above, after the keyword FORMAT one of
the words DATE, TIME, or TIMESTAMP appears. These words identify the
category of the date-time item.
Note:
The words DATE and TIME are reserved words; whereas, the word TIMESTAMP
is a context-sensitive word.
After the reserved word or context-sensitive word that dictates the
category of the date-time item a format literal may appear. A format
literal is a non-numeric literal that describes the format of a date or
time item.
In the case of data item date1 the %m stands for months, %d for days,
and the @Y for year (including a 2-digit century). The % and @ character
begin a specifier. ...
..."
Review also, in the expanded /Contents/ of "Intrinsic Functions" at
the doc-link below, each doc snippet found when searching the page for
each of:
DATE, DAY, DURATION, or YY
IBM i 7.1 Information Center -> Programming -> Programming languages ->
COBOL -> ILE COBOL Language Reference -> Procedure Division
http://pic.dhe.ibm.com/infocenter/iseries/v7r1m0/topic/rzasb/sc092539888.htm#intfunc
_i Intrinsic Functions i_
"Data processing problems often require the use of values that are not
directly accessible in the data storage associated with the object
program, but instead must be derived through performing operations on
other data. An intrinsic function is a function that performs a
mathematical, character, or logical operation, and thereby allows you to
make reference to a data item whose value is derived automatically
during the execution of the object program.
The functions can be grouped into six categories, based on the type of
service performed: mathematical, statistical, date/time, financial,
character-handling, and general.
You can reference a function by specifying its name, along with any
required arguments, in a Procedure Division statement.
Functions are elementary data items, and return alphanumeric, DBCS,
numeric, integer, boolean, or date-time values. Functions cannot serve
as receiving operands.
..."
midrange.com
